P44-xx - Technical Documentation

Topics

(see also navigation in the menu)

• Introduction Introduction
• Matter - New: use matter with P44-xx (beta)
• Information for Installation and Support
• Advanced Configuration and Scripting
  • Tutorials - step-by-step application examples
  • p44Script Short reference for the p44script script language
  • p44script IDE - Integrated Development Environment
  • LEDsim - Simulator for SmartLED (WS281x) based display matrix designs
  • REPL - Interactive experimentation with p44Script
  • Scripting - Scripting in p44script
  • Custom Devices - Implement your own smarthome devices
  • Custom Devices - Ready-to-use Examples + Experiments
  • lrg + ledchainarrangement - Light effects with SmartLED chains

Introduction

plan44.ch develops and produces various devices for controlling lights, shades, buttons and sensors in home automation, especially for the Digital Strom system, but also stand-alone controllers providing complete solutions for lighting projects and custom devices for special LED effects, sensors, motor controls, etc. in exhibitions and for art and theater projects.

All these products are built on a common software foundation developed by plan44 as OpenSource (GPLv3 license). It is a collection of modules that can be assembled into an application as needed, covering many subtasks needed for controller devices. The p44utils framework serves as the basis for all control applications. For the connection to Digital Strom there is p44vdc, for driving complex graphics and animations based on smart LEDs (WS28xx etc.) the p44lrgraphics graphics library, and for special hardware in exhibition and art projects the p44features collection.

While the various devices each have their own configuration options and interfaces appropriate to the application, the options for advanced configuration and programming of sequences are the same in many places.

This documentation is about these common "subsystems" and how they are used. Whether it is a "feature light" in a Digital Strom installation or an LED ticker for a theater project, both are defined with p44lrgraphics. Likewise, calculations and sequences, whether they occur in P44-DSB evaluators, in P44-LC triggers, or as the main program of an effect light installation with P44-LC LED controllers, are part of the p44script scripting language. Rather exotic, project specific functionalities like 24-fold RFID detector or controlling of mechanical split flap displays are mapped as p44feature to provide a unified API for control from local scripts or via network from a higher level control application.

Not every subsystem is included in every product. This documentation describes the complete functionality, if necessary with subchapters referring to single products.